Raging Love Ch. 09

"Please, don't say that." Antonio chimed in, crying like a baby.

"It was a big mistake that gave me a blessing in return." He continued. "Sean is my reason for living and he's my life. I don't wanna get hurt anymore. We just have to accept that we didn't have anything. I never loved you and I don't love you, Antonio."

Antonio's heart shattered to pieces with those words. He felt a cold wind hit his face and then like he was insane, he started wailing like a kid, crawling towards Travis.

"Leave me alone. I just want peace. You can go home and forget you ever met me."

With those words, Travis turned and started leaving.

"Please, don't leave me." Antonio wept. "I love you so much, you and our son."

Travis took a glance behind. "If your love for me and our son is true, then you'll leave us alone."

He started rushing in with tears flooding his face. Antonio wanted to follow him but some guards came and started dragging him away. Travis went inside and locked the door, leaning on it while he cried. He could still hear Antonio's voice calling for him and pleading with him as they took him until it got fainter and he couldn't hear it anymore.

Travis felt really weak. He moved his shaky hands to his lips, passing his hands on them. He could still taste Antonio on them and it hurt like hell. He felt like something was moving inside of him. The pain he had experienced six years ago was suddenly back.

"Curse you, Antonio!" He said in between sobs. "Why is it that up to now, you still have what it takes to hurt me so much?"

He just remained there and cried like a little child. He wanted everything to just go away. Even with the truth out, he was still hurting. It was so unfair. Suddenly, Travis moved his eyes forward and got shocked when he saw his son slowly walking towards him with tears in his eyes. He rushed to him and held his legs. Travis didn't even bother to rub his tears. He just held his son tightly and cried.

"Daddy, why are you crying? Did that man make you cry?"

He slowly knelt down, holding his son's hands. No matter how much he wanted to stop crying, he couldn't do it.

"Who was he, daddy? Why is he fighting with you? He's bad."

Travis would have laughed at his son's words but he wasn't in his right state of mind. He shook his head without saying anything and got emotional when his son started rubbing his tears. He leaned forward, kissed his son's cheek and hugged him tightly while crying. He had no idea why he got really scared. He knew that now that Antonio had found out about Sean, it was gonna be difficult to keep him away. After all, Antonio was a really powerful man.

He glanced at his aunt past his son's shoulder and from the way he looked like, the woman didn't need to be a genius to know that Antonio knew about Sean. She covered her mouth in shock, shaking her head slowly.

"How did he find out?" Vanessa asked softly. "What are we gonna do now?"

But Travis was too weak to answer. He just held his son tightly and cried.

***

Emilia was seated on the couch deeply lost in her thoughts. She was holding a cup of coffee close to her lips and she looked like she was frozen. Emilia was feeling really terrible and she had tears in her eyes. Everything around her seemed really wrong. Even when she had gotten her son back... he had even slept in her room. But something was missing and she was really hurt about her daughter.

"Mother?"

Emilia came out of her thoughts and found Celine seated by her side, staring at her emotionally. She tried to smile but it failed terribly.

"You don't have to hide your pain, mother." Celine said softly, holding her hands softly. "Even I am feeling the same way."

Emilia sighed, putting the cup on the table. "I really don't know what to do anymore, Celine. Everything that happened yesterday is still fresh in my mind. I still can't believe that my own family members were the ones that were destroying our house. Now all of us are broken."

"I understand you." Celine said in a low tone. "I am in pain and I don't know what to do. For six years, we've been living in the shadows hating on an innocent boy that didn't deserve what happened to him. How do we even face him now? We said some pretty bad things to him and...." She couldn't even finish her sentence.

Emilia chuckled softly though in pain. "I am worried about my son. Until when will his pain go away? It hurts me to see him like that and I just want him to go back to the way he was before all this started. He doesn't deserve this. He deserves to be happy."

"He's gone to get back his love. He'll be fine." A voice hollered.

Celine and Emilia quickly moved their eyes and found granny smiling at them as Eduardo pushed the wheelchair. Emilia and Celine both gasped in shock and rushed towards her. Once they reached her, they both fell into her arms and just sobbed. Granny held both of them tightly, rubbing on their backs.

"Oh mother," Emilia cried. "You're okay? You've got no idea how happy I am to see you. I missed you so much."

Emilia was feeling a whole lot of pain. She couldn't believe this was happening.

"I missed all of you too." Granny muttered. "But you don't have to worry. I am fine now. Travis took good care of me and I am now fine."

Emilia cried even more. When she pulled away from the hug, she looked at granny's face and got weak. "I failed you, mother! I failed your expectations and I failed Harvey as well. I couldn't manage this house properly. I failed as a mother, as a daughter in-law and as a grandmother. I don't know what to say to you because..."

"What are you saying, Emilia?" Granny asked. "You're the best daughter in law any mother in law can ask for and you're the best daughter any mother can ask for."

"I failed!" She sobbed uncontrollably. "Everything has fallen apart. Andrea and Emma were arrested yesterday. They tried to kill mother and they... they..."

"They got what they deserved." Granny said harshly, getting a little angry. "Even the almighty tells us that no evil shall go unpunished. Eduardo told me everything and you've not failed at anything. You're still the best mother. You did all you could to try and save your daughter from this but she didn't wanna listen."

"But..."

"As for that useless daughter of mine, she can rot in jail for all I care." Granny said furiously without any regret. "I don't even wanna see her. As far as I am concerned, she's dead to me. I'll never forgive them for what they did to that poor boy. I will never forgive me. They shall suffer a million times more than that boy suffered."

Emilia just looked at granny and tried to smile but she couldn't. She glanced at her son and he smiled back.

"But everything will be alright now." Granny smiled. "We've gotten rid of all the poison that was in our house and we shouldn't cry at all. Antonio will be fine. You shouldn't worry about him. Very soon, he'll bring back your son in law."

Emilia smiled and slowly rubbed her tears. She hugged her mother tightly and got up so that they could go to the living room. But as soon as she got up, she saw her son slowly coming inside the house looking like he was completely hopeless.

His eyes were blood red... his hair was messy... his clothes were messy and he was looking like he didn't have any single strength left in him. When Emilia saw him, she felt her heart pound painfully and she gasped, rushing towards him.

"Son! Oh my God!"

Everyone's eyes were now on Antonio.

"Son?" She reached him and held his hand, looking straight into his eyes. He couldn't even utter a word. "Are you alright? What happened? Why do you look like this?" But Antonio wasn't even saying anything. The only thing moving on his body was his mouth which shook uncontrollably. "Come here."

She started taking him to the living but she barely reached then when Antonio dropped to the floor and started crying. Emilia dropped to the floor and brought her son closer to her, holding him tightly. He lay on her lap and just cried for close to ten minutes. Emilia just played with his hair, trying to make him feel better. She knew how much pain he was experiencing and she felt he needed to cry it out. Antonio's cries eventually subsided.

"Cure me, mother!" Antonio muttered in between sobs. "Please, cure me. I don't wanna leave like this anymore. I am tired."

Emilia slowly rubbed her tears. She needed to be strong for her son.

"I know the pain that you're going through, my baby."

"No, mom..." Antonio cried. "...I don't think anyone would understand what I am going through. Praveen doesn't want to see me. He... he hates me so much. He threw me out like a criminal and told me to my face that there was never anything between us. He doesn't love me anymore. I love him so much and it hurts."

Emilia shook her head. "No, baby.... Praveen doesn't hate you. He's just hurt and..."

"No! He hates me. I could see the pain when he was talking to me."

"No, baby..." Emilia needed to think of something. "...I promise that he loves you. He's just hurt. Why did he come back to you when he could have stayed away? He didn't even take your companies away because he still loves you and..."

Antonio cried at the top of his voice. "This hurts a lot. He didn't... he didn't even let me see my son."

The moment Antonio said those words, there was silence in the entire room. Emilia rose her head and she just looked at Celine who was equally shocked. She looked at her son again.

"What are you talking about, baby?"

"Sean!" Antonio wailed. "I don't know this can be possible but... but Praveen was pregnant when he left that night. He had a child and that is... Sean."

Celine and Emilia felt their hearts begin to race. "How's that possible?"

"I don't know." Antonio said in between sobs. "But he hates me more for that. He blames me for everything, every pain that has ever happened to him. He blames me for his father's death and for... for almost causing his own death when he nearly died in the holy river. He also blames me for almost losing our son when he was pregnant. He asked me to leave him alone if I truly love him."

"Oh my God!" Celine gasped, covering her mouth while flashbacks of all her encounters with Sean started coming back to her. "No wonder I was feeling that way. I... He was right in front of us and we never even realized it."

"I don't know what to do. Maybe he's right. There was never anything between us that can be fixed. Andrea, aunt and Bruce have destroyed my life." He wailed, making everyone in the living room to tear up. It was really sad and emotional. They'd never seen him like that before. "Now, who will fix me? My broken heart... my life? And me? I just can't leave my life without him because I love him so much. He's my life, mom.

I just want to be with him and our son. Now I can't even see my son, hold him and kiss him. Mom, please, help me. I want Praveen back. I want him back or I will die."

Emilia wrapped her arms around him tightly and he just cried there like a baby. He didn't even know what was hurting anymore. His heart was in excruciating pain and his head was pulsing terribly, making it feel like it was gonna explode any second. He cried and cried until he slept on his mother's lap.

But even through his sleep, he looked really terrible and he was still sobbing. Emilia raised her face and looked at her family.

"I can't bear to see my son this way. What are we going to do?" She cried.

"I don't know." Eduardo said softly, rubbing his tears. "I don't even know if we have any right to go to Travis' house after the way we treated him six years."

"We have to try." Celine said in between sobs. "We have a more than enough reason to try and fix this relationship. Sean belongs here and Praveen too. No matter what pain he's in, he's gonna have to forgive us somehow."

They all knew Celine was right but the question at the back of each of their minds was, 'did they deserve his forgiveness?'

***

Travis was leaning on the floor, smiling brightly while checking on his son's wounds who was standing on the huge table smiling back.

"Does it still hurt, baby?"

Sean shook his head abruptly. "Just a little, daddy."

Travis smiled brightly and then kissed his son's bandage softly. "Daddy will not let you feel any pain. I will be here with you. Now, tell daddy what you would like him to do for you."

"Can I play with my toys now, daddy?"

Travis raised an eyebrow. "But you're too well, sweetie."

"But I am fine. I will be here with you."

Travis smiled. "Okay."

The little boy giggled and then kissed Travis on the cheek. He got to the floor, picked up his toys and started playing with them.

Travis on the other hand sighed and just sat on the couch, watching his son play. He got lost in his thoughts again and fear took him by surprise. He was putting on a simple green t-shirt, brown skinny jean and black sandals.

"Have you read you the newspaper today?" Vanessa chuckled as she came to the living room. "There's some really juicy news here. Andrea, Bruce and Emma were arrested two days ago and they've been charged with attempted murder, fraud and many other things. I bet those idiots will be in jail for a really long time. Serves them right if you ask me."

She looked at Travis and he seemed so lost in thought.

"You're still worried that Antonio might come back." He heard Vanessa's voice right before she sat on the couch closer to him.

Travis took a sigh of frustration and looked at his beautiful aunt.

"I don't think he can master the courage to show his face around here again." She added, taking his hands into hers.

"He won't leave me alone, aunt!" He said in a tone that scared Vanessa. "Right now, I am even scared of going out with my son because I feel that he might be watching me. He won't leave me alone. I know what kind of man he is."

Vanessa took a deep breath. "Then file charges." Travis looked at his aunt in shock. "File a lawsuit to scare him off."

Travis was really confused. He rubbed his face. "Antonio is a very powerful man and he can easily escape that. And even if he doesn't, I don't want this to end up as a legal issue. If I was the only one he was bothering it would be alright. I can deal with him. But I am afraid for Sean. I am scared of what is gonna happen once he finds out the truth. I don't wanna lose my son to anyone, aunt. That's why I need to deal with this issue once and for all."

Vanessa frowned. "What do you have planned?"

Travis run his fingers through his hair, getting up from the couch. He was so damn nervous and he couldn't hide it.

"I was thinking of going back abroad." He said with a lot of difficult. "As soon as Sean recovers, we're going back abroad and this time...." He paused and felt tears building. "...this time it will be for good. I have achieved my main goal and it's about time I started a new life with my son somewhere far away from Antonio."

Vanessa got up and looked at him. "But you've always said you want to be close to your parents."

"I know." Travis' tear rolled down. "But this is a sacrifice that I have to make. I am sure my parents will understand, even if it means I will never visit them again." He was in pain. "I just want to start my life all over again with my son. That's all that matters to me. Besides, I still have my...." He paused and sobbed. "...I still have my mother with me."

Vanessa felt like someone had just added life into her when she heard those words from Travis. She didn't even know when she started gasping or when he face got wet with tears or when her heart began racing. She had been waiting for a long time to hear that from him. It was an achievement for her. Vanessa opened her arms wide and Travis rushed in them.

"I love you so much, my son." Vanessa kissed him all over the head. "I will go with you anywhere in this world. You and Sean are the most important things to me. I will die loving you."

Travis just sobbed while holding his new found mother. He was in pain and it was gonna be difficult to leave the place he had grown up in, a place that was his home. It was gonna be really hard for him to go with the thought that he was never gonna see his parents again.

As the two of them hugged, suddenly a maid came there.

"Excuse me, sir!" She said, slowly bowing. "You've got some visitors."

Travis pulled away from the hug and rubbed his face. "Who..."

But Travis turned and he got the shock of his life. His heart started racing and his fear doubled. Ethan and Emilia were standing right in front of him with sadness on their face, staring right at him. Travis had no idea why he felt so much fear.

"Aunt, please, take Sean inside." He asked abruptly.

Vanessa quickly took the boy in her arms and she rushed upstairs with him. The boy didn't even realize what was going on. Emilia on the other hand had her eyes on Sean and she couldn't help but feel the need to hold him and just hug him. He was really handsome, the most handsome kid she'd ever laid her eyes on.

"What are you doing here?" Travis asked harshly, folding his arms on his chest.

Emilia took a deep breath and looked at him. "We need to talk, Praveen. I know that..."

"There's nothing to talk about. Whatever thing I needed to say, I told your son yesterday." He said hoarsely. "Why don't you go and ask him?"

Emilia remained quiet. She could hear the pain and anger in his voice.

"Travis, I know that all of us had hurt you." Ethan pleaded, putting his hands together. "But please, we're all begging you to forgive us. Antonio is really suffering and as his best friend, I can tell that he loves you so much. He was a fool to have hurt you but..."

"I don't hold any grudges against you." Travis said. "But I am sorry, I cannot help you. Antonio needs to solve his own problems. I am not his problem because he never loved me and he was always hurting me. There was nothing between Antonio and I to start with. We were just two souls that got married due to circumstances."

Emilia sobbed softly. "Praveen, my son, please." She put her hands together. "I am begging you. You're a father too and I am sure you understand my situation. My son is suffering and I cannot bear to see his pain. For the sake of the relationship you and I shared..."

"I thank you so much for the way you took care of me, your love and everything you gave me." Travis chimed in, getting closer. "But our relationship ended six years ago, that same night. Do you remember?"

'Even a witch doesn't attack her own home. But you were destroying your own house? I am not your mother and I will never be. Get out of here!'

Emilia sobbed softly when she remembered the painful words that she had used on him. She slightly closed her eyes and felt Ethan holding. Ethan too was hurt. He didn't know what words to use on Travis because he had definitely changed.

"I don't want to do anything with your family." He added. "The truth is out. All of you should just forget that I was ever there. You can live in peace now as I want to live peacefully too."

Emilia was still crying. She looked at Travis and he looked away. She was hurt.

"Can I at least see my grandson?" She muttered.

Travis frowned, clenching his fists. "Please leave!" He gestured towards the door. "I want you to leave right now."

Emilia held on closer to Ethan and just looked at Travis who was obviously fighting his tears. It was really hard to throw them out because he still loved them both. But it was for the best.

"Travis!" Santiago came rushing downstairs.

When he saw the two that were with him, he went straight to Travis and took his hands.

"Santiago, please, tell them to get out of here." He pleaded.

Santiago nodded. "I will handle it."

He kissed Travis' forehead and went to the two that stood pitifully there. He took a deep breath. "Please, come with me."